Quanzhou government office.
The leader of the class, Zhao Sanqi, looked worried at the sudden arrival of Lu Zongyi, a provincial political advisor.
Qin Song got the news and arrived at the lobby first, but when he saw Gu Zhengchen sleeping at his desk, he didn't know what to do.
In order to rectify the officialdom of Quanzhou Prefecture and finalize various cases before the provincial government took action, Gu Zhengchen didn't sleep much for three days and three nights. He finally fell asleep after completing the interrogation and couldn't bear to wake him up.
Zhang Pei sighed and had no choice but to say to Qin Song: "When Lu Shenzheng came to the government office, it would be rude for me not to greet him. If I can't sleep soundly anymore, I'm afraid it will be wrong."
Qin Song naturally understood this truth, but felt sorry for Gu Zhengchen's excessive efforts during this period.
Zhang Pei walked towards Gu Zhengchen and raised his hand to pat Gu Zhengchen on the shoulder when he heard a "boo" sound. He looked up and saw that Lu Zongyi had entered the lobby.
Lu Zongyi waved his hand and said softly: "Let him sleep, I can wait."
Zhang Pei and Qin Song looked at each other and walked out to salute.
Xiao Cheng, who was originally sleeping, frowned slightly, and then relaxed, but his breathing became much shallower.
Lin Baifan also turned over and made no movement.
Lu Zongyi sat down and glanced at Lu Changyan.
Lu Changyan understood what it meant, walked to the lobby, put a stack of recruitment books on the table in front of Lu Zongyi, and then stood aside with his hands down.
Lu Zongyi waved his hand: "There is no need to serve tea. Leave one person here and everyone else go out."
Zhang Pei stayed and Qin Song hurried out of the lobby.
When Huang Fei saw Qin Song coming out, he hurriedly stepped forward and asked, "How is it?"
Qin Song shook his head: "The Lord is still sleeping. We don't know the purpose of Lu Shenzheng's visit at the moment, but from the looks of it, it doesn't look like he's launching an army to investigate."
Liang Hua felt uneasy and said with a gloomy face: "Invoking an army to investigate a crime does not necessarily mean having an angry face. The calmer it is, the more it appears that the city is deep and difficult to deal with."
Qin Song looked at Zhao Sanqi: "No foreign soldiers have entered Jinjiang City, right?
Zhao Sanqi replied seriously: "Absolutely not. Once a soldier from outside comes in, we will inform you as soon as possible."
Qin Song frowned. Could it be that the province's big move was simply to send someone to participate in politics?
Lobby.
Lu Zongyi quietly looked through the recruitment booklet, looking at it very carefully.
The interrogation questions were sharp and direct.
The people on trial gave clear and definite answers. Although mixed with many side details, these testimonies were indeed enough to convict.
The judgment is well-founded and based on appropriate laws and regulations.
Jinjiang County Government has a problem, Hui'an County Government has a problem, Nan'an County Government has a problem, the Municipal Shipping Department has a problem, many local taxation departments have problems...
Lu Zongyi's originally expressionless face became more and more gloomy the more he looked at the recruitment notice.
After spending more than an hour, Lu Zongyi flipped through all the notices for local officials' interrogations, leaned back on the chair, closed his eyes and rested. Judging from the contents of the recruitment list alone, it can be seen that Gu Zhengchen did not bend the law for personal gain, but governed uprightly and in accordance with the law.
"Where are the files and recruitment records of Wu Kang, Qin Xin and others?"
Lu Zongyi opened his eyes and looked at Zhang Pei.
Zhang Pei said solemnly: "It's in the torture chamber. I'll have someone get it right now."
Lu Zongyi nodded slightly.
Zhang Pei walked to the door and asked Qin Song to tell Xu Lan to bring the files and recruitment of Qin Xin, Wu Kang and others.
Xu Lan personally delivered some information.
Lu Zongyi looked at Xu Lan who wanted to speak, raised his hand and said: "When you want to ask questions, I will ask you questions. Just go out and let the officials and servants in the government office perform their duties. There is no need to wait outside."
Seeing this, Xu Lan had no choice but to turn around and leave.
Zhang Pei brought the tea bowl, but Lu Zongyi refused and stared at the file with deep eyes.
The files and recruitment papers of Wu Kang and Qin Xin were not very rich, but Lu Zongyi read them for an hour, read them over and over again, and then asked someone to fetch the Bu family files and recruitment papers, and looked at Bu Shou's testimony. , Lu Zongyi finally understood that the beheadings of Wu Kang and Qin Xin were not unjust at all, and the arrest of the Bu family was really a good job!
It's just that Gu Zhengchen is the prefect and he has no right to kill.
It was right at the beginning, and the result was right, but Gu Zhengchen didn't leave in the middle, and there were no instructions or official documents that should have been given.
In the officialdom, it is not that we only look at the results and not the process. If this were the case, then the court would be in chaos. No matter how complicated the matter is, no matter how heinous the criminal is, if it involves murder, it must be reviewed by the Ministry of Punishments, and the emperor must make a decision.
This is a rule, an ironclad rule.
Gu Zhengchen was right to kill Wu Kang and Qin Xin, but what was wrong was that he didn't follow the rules.
Lu Zongyi rubbed his eyebrows and looked at Gu Zhengchen, who was sleeping on the table.
Undoubtedly, he successfully reorganized the officialdom of Quanzhou Prefecture, and he was a very capable minister. But there is a mystery here. Why would a smart man like Gu Zhengchen make such a mistake and leave a flaw that could lead to his own death?
It is impossible for a good chess player to make a series of bad moves without realizing it.
It was a stupid move to kill Yang Baiju with a stick. At least he still had a chance to make amends. But for killing Wu Kang and Qin Xin openly, how could he make amends?
By accident,
All bets are lost!
No matter how many moves Gu Zhengchen took in the process, he would still lose everything.
While Lu Zongyi was deep in thought, Gu Zhengchen opened his eyes slightly, sat up straight, and saw that the recruitment book on the desk was missing. He was about to ask, but when he looked up, he saw two unfamiliar faces.
Zhang Pei quickly stepped forward and explained: "Master, this is from the provincial government office. Lu Zongyi is involved in politics."
Gu Zhengchen glared at Zhang Pei, then looked at Lu Zongyi. Seeing the files piled up next to Lu Zongyi, he rubbed his sore arms, stood up and walked out, saluting solemnly: "Gu Zhengchen, the prefect of Quanzhou, has met Lu Zongyi."
Lu Zongyi cupped his hands and chuckled: "Gu Zongyi's official power is so powerful. I am just a small person participating in politics. I'm afraid I can't afford it."
Gu Zhengchen raised his eyebrows and said, "When it comes to participating in politics, how can I still have the authority of a prefect?"
Lu Zongyi pointed to the registers and files on the table, and said in a deep voice: "I have read the files and registers here, but there is no file about Gao Huigao's political participation, and there is no trial register. I won't ask about other cases. I just want to ask, have you arrested Gao Shenzheng?"
"yes."
Gu Zhengchen admitted frankly.
"Crime?"
"Bu Shou had an affair with the pirates and went to sea on a boat. I arrested Bu Shou and the shipping department to promote Wei Hong. Gao Shenzheng and his people wanted to kidnap them. Considering that Gao Shenzheng's son Gao Dongxu was married to Bu Shou's granddaughter Bu Fei, Gao Shenzheng and Bu Shou are relatives, and I suspect that he has selfish motives and want to take away Bu Shou to get rid of his crime. I have to follow the power in a hurry, so I can only make this move."
Lu Zongyi frowned: "What are you talking about, Gao Dongxu married Bu Fei?"
Seeing that Lu Zongyi didn't know this, Gu Zhengchen nodded slightly: "Didn't Lu Shenzheng go to ask for a drink when the Gao family was happy?"
Lu Zongyi stared at Gu Zhengchen without saying a word.
The marriage of Gao Hui's son is not Gao Hui's marriage, so I need to go there in person?
What are you thinking about? ..??m
Besides, Gao Dongxu got married in a very low-key manner. He didn't make much publicity, and he didn't hear how many people were invited to the banquet. He only heard that he was from Quanzhou Prefecture.
Lu Zongyi thought for a moment and shook his head: "It is really bold and wanton to arrest provincial officials for participating in politics based on your words of urgency."
Gu Zhengchen asked back: "If he is not caught in the government office, will Bu Shou be lucky enough to give a thorough explanation? In other words, will a person who still has hope tell the truth truthfully and wait for the death penalty?"
Lu Zongyi thought for a while and agreed with Gu Zhengchen's words, but he still objected: "These reasons are not enough to imprison a province for political participation. If they are like you, who among the officials in the world will have a sense of security? Political participation inspects the place, and the censor monitors If you find anything wrong in this place, you will be detained without reason. Such behavior sets a bad precedent. I hope you know that the court will never allow this to happen."
Gu Zhengchen naturally knew that doing so was not completely justified, but it was a necessary means to achieve justice in the officialdom of Quanzhou Prefecture.
Of course, without Lao Zhu's order to "do things cheaply", he would not have been able to kill Yang Baiju, nor would he have dared to kill Wu Kang and Qin Xin, nor would he have imprisoned Gao Hui.
I am not an idiot, I know I will die but I still dare to do it.
Because I have something to rely on, I have nothing to worry about.
In the same way, if Bu Shou and Gao Hui are not arrested, the local officials whom the Bu family has won over will have no scruples because they have something to rely on. In this case, if I want to rectify the officialdom of Quanzhou Prefecture, I will inevitably encounter many obstacles, consume time and effort, and achieve little results.
Gu Zhengchen couldn't explain too much to Lu Zongyi. He didn't know much about the situation in the provincial government office. His understanding of Lu Zongyi was that he was a political participant who was transferred from the Ministry of Justice to Fujian together with Gao Hui.
Gu Zhengchen said solemnly: "I will answer the questions at the imperial court. If your Majesty is convicted, I will bear the responsibility. Now that the stubborn diseases and ringworm in Quanzhou Prefecture are gone, no matter who takes office, the people here will live a stable life." day."
Lu Zongyi looked at Gu Zhengchen, who was dedicated to serving the people, turned around and sat down, and took out a recruitment brochure: "You are right, you have wiped out all the corrupt officials in Quanzhou Prefecture, and it will be difficult for there to be another big one in the next five years." You are extremely greedy. In view of this, the imperial court will also increase its efforts in selecting officials and supervision. The people of Quanzhou Prefecture will indeed benefit from you. But Gu Zhengchen, is it worth it to exchange his own life for this?"
Gu Zhengchen walked over and said in a deep voice: "If I really lose my life because of this, I will really not be reconciled and regret it. But if I have to choose again, I will still do this. Lu Shenzheng, did you look at it on the way here? Have the people who came to Jinjiang seen the people in Hui'an?"
"Some people are walking on the edge of death every day. They are struggling, suffering, and just want to live! But these officials take everything from them and even want their lives! Do you know Quanzhou There are seven counties in the prefecture, and three of them pay taxes on colored silk every year, and the other four counties bear the tax amount of seven counties!"
Lu Zongyi looked at Gu Zhengchen who looked angry and sighed secretly.
Judging from the files and recruitment lists, what Wu Kang, Qin Xin and others did was really too much.
Of the seven counties, four counties bear the taxes of the seven counties, and the remaining three counties all fold silk, and all of these silks are sent to the Bu family for profit sharing. They have gone to great lengths for money!
